03. Big Bad Wolf

The smell of cigarette smoke and sex infiltrated my nostrils, causing me to cringe inwardly. His office smelled like a cheap bar on a Friday night, making me wish I had a can of Febreeze or some air freshners to mask the stench.

As if it couldn't get any worse, I noticed the smell of expensive cologne. You know, the stuff guys in polos and khakis wear? The kind of cologne that can make you gag and choke because it's so strong?

I couldn't tell if the cologne was coming from him or his t-shirt that was still lying on the ground. He didn't even bother putting a new shirt on so I was left staring at the soft back of a man who wouldn't dare glance at me. It's almost like I was too ugly to look at. I'd never in my life felt more insecure than I did when I was standing in front of him.

"Are you going to put a shirt on?" I asked while fidgeting with my skirt. Suddenly, it was feeling way too short, even though it ended just above my knees. He had a way of making everything feel provocative. I could've been wearing a nun outfit and I still wouldn't have felt anymore modest.

It probably had something to do with the near naked man that was standing with his back to me. He really needed to put some clothes on. There was no way I could focus with him standing there like that. If I didn't think about his bad cologne, he was just so dreamy and-

"Probably not." He finally turned around to face me with his cold blue eyes. His chiseled chest came into view while a menacing grin found its way onto his velvety lips. "I like giving people a good view."

His gaze stayed on me too long, to the point where I had to break his stare by looking down at the polished floors. The shininess of the clean cut marble couldn't compare to the vibrant intensity that was in his eyes. Not even the stars could compare to them.

"I think you broke that girl's heart." I mumbled quietly, biting down on my bottom lip. I was really terrible at making small talk and I was even worse at making jokes, which- believe it or not- was what I was trying to do here.

"I think you should stay out of my personal life." His eyes flashed with a snap of anger that weirdly subsided into devilish amusement. It made me twitch. Who could just go from being frustrated to entertained in two point five seconds? Not a normal person, that's for sure. "And she's lucky I didn't break her face, no?"

"O-okay, I'm s-s-sorry." I tucked a piece of my red hair behind my ear, cursing underneath my staggered breath. This bun wasn't holding up as good as I thought it would and neither was my mouth! I couldn't stop stuttering for the life of me.

"I'm sure you will be." Elliot let out a raspy laugh, sliding his hand around the nape of his neck to stretch out. I could see his muscles contort and shift as he moved his body back in slow motions. It was almost calming, seeing how relaxed he seemed in that moment. He seemed... content? "What's your name-fück!"

Yeah, I don't think so! My mother's a little more modest than that.

Suddenly, his hand's were tugging at his jeans vigorously. He was shaking his legs as if he was waiting for something to fall out of them. His hands searched all the deep pockets before he began unbuttoning the dark jeans immediately. I didn't even get a chance to register what was happening before his pants hit the ground.

What in the actual fuck?

Now, the only thing that was covering his body was the tight material of Calvin Klein black boxer briefs. The fabric gripped him to the point where I could see the mold of everything he was packing downstairs. His manhood was huge, like the size of Texas. How could he even fit that thing into those underwear? It reminded me of how a magician could fit the entire kitchen sink in his top hat- so damn strange.

I made myself look up at the pristine ceilings that were decorated with dim lights that cast the room in an orange haze.

Are those light fixtures? Those are some really nice light fixtures!

"Yeah, I'm pretty sure my name isn't a curse word." I bit down on my lip, while my throat started to cramp up from being leaned back so far.

My neck was going to break before I looked back at his silhouette. I didn't want to make this anymore awkward than it already was. Why in the hell was his pants against the floor? Maybe he just needed some air! Yeah, that was probably it.

"Cute." He murmured absentmindedly. I could still hear the movements of his body, but he seemed to be further away now. Well, at least he wasn't about to pounce on me like a cat. I wasn't so sure I could get away if he tried. I also wasn't sure why I was even still standing there. It's like my feet were frozen to the freaking ground. A part of me wanted to stay here. "But I was talking about the other girl. She stole my wallet and my fücking dignity. How in the hell could I let her do that? I thought she was touching my áss, but she was really emptying my pockets."

"You probably deserved it."

"Care to say that to my face?" His voice had suddenly lightened, but the husky laugh brought it back to its original state. Heavy and warm and completely swoon worthy. "All you have to do is look. You know you want to."

"Nope, Satan! Not today!" I thought to myself, shaking my head. "You ain't getting my soul today! Ain't nobody got time for that!"

Although, the heat on my skin was rooting against me. It was causing a delicious tingle to spread from head to toe, making my breathing laden with desire and something else. Annoyance maybe?

I mean- honestly- what the hell was going on here? Why wasn't I getting asked about my resume or my past work experience? I thought he was going to ask about my experience working at McDonald's. I had the whole conversation planned out. I was going to say that it was amazing, aside from the time I was caught stealing Chicken McNuggets. Don't judge me- it was one time!

"What are you going to do to her?" I raised my eyebrows in curiosity. I really needed to stop asking unimportant questions, but that was my specialty. I couldn't mind my own business for shit. It was almost like I was the real life version of Gossip Girl. "The girl who stole from you, I mean."

"I was going to be the good guy for once in my life and let her go." He muttered underneath his breath with a burning intensity smeared onto his rugged face. "But now I have to reap her soul and drag her to the underworld."

"You're a man of many metaphors." I stifled a laugh, shaking my head.

"I'll be that," he flashed me a wry grin. "but you're a girl of few brain cells."

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There was a long stretch of time where he didn't say a single word to me. He was only playing with the waistband of his boxers with wicked amusement overtaking him. He would tug the fabric down, exposing another inch of his dark happy trail, then pull it back up before I could see anything. It was like he was pretending it was a freaking yo-yo and I couldn't stop staring! My eyes had betrayed me, just like my soul.

Anyone selling holy water? Your girl needs some after all this.

"It's like a boomerang." He laughed at the horror that was in my green eyes as my gaze trailed a little too far South. "It just keeps coming back."

His manhood that already looked like Texas had grown another four inches. It was like Pinocchio's nose. It just kept growing and growing! I'd never seen anything so big in my life and suddenly I was feeling sorry for the blonde girl that was here earlier. After having that thing inside her she probably needed to go to the hospital.

I averted my eyes that weren't so virgin anymore as he slid on a new pair of pants. Clearly, this man had no shame and I had no damn willpower. My gaze was caught to him like a fly on a fly trap. Needless to say, I was hopeless and he was emotionless.

"Why are you shaking?" He furrowed his eyebrows, running his fingers through his disheveled hair, moving it away from his face. "I haven't even touched you yet."

And he wasn't going to or I was going to light his ass up with a taser! Okay- maybe I didn't have one in my purse- but he didn't know that.

For all he knew, I could be a dangerous serial killer that looked like a mistress. That was one angle I wouldn't mind working. Looking all sweet and innocent and then boom! I would turn into a corrupted women hellbent on murdering someone. Okay, maybe I watched too much Criminal Minds.

"Can we get to the real questions?" I crossed my legs, trying to be ladylike. I even fixed my posture, hoping to look more studious. My chances of getting this internship had already flown out the window, but I wanted to end this stupid rendezvous on a good note. Not a death note.

"If you insist." He didn't seem amused this time. I couldn't even see the coldness in his eyes anymore, because his thick, black eyelashes hide them from view. That was the perfect disguise, because it didn't look like a disguise at all, but I knew it was. He was hiding something. "What's your cup size?"

"Excuse me?" I narrowed my eyes at him, which seemed to cause his interest to pique. I didn't care how cute he was. If he didn't stop, I was going to choke him with the straps on my purse. I was a savage when I needed to be. Witnessing Connor's death was hell, but it gave me some backbone too. I mean, I often neglected that backbone, but I'm telling you it was there. You just needed a microscope to see it.

"We have a strict dress code here." His lips curled into a weary smile. I could tell there was ulterior motives to his dumb question. "If you get hired, we'll need your measurements to get you the appropriate attire, cupcake."

"Well, I'm not hired yet." I rolled my eyes, cursing underneath my breath. "And stop calling me that! My name is Lily, like the flower. I'm not a damn bakery pastry!"

"Well, you smell like one." A devilish laugh erupted from him, making me jump back in surprise. "Here's a tip, honey, just because I call you cupcake- it doesn't mean that I want you smelling like a vanilla dough ball."

"It's cookies and fücking cream!" I creased my eyebrows, suddenly feeling enraged. I usually opted for freaking instead of the f bomb, but he was really starting to get on my nerves. My skin was boiling and it wasn't just because he was still shirtless. His defined muscles weren't the only thing that was making me hot. "I may smell like the Pillsbury Dough boy, but at least I don't smell like sex! Did you even bother to take a shower? You're so unprofessional! How do you even run this school? Where is your father? I want to speak to him!"

"Damn, fiorella." He bit back a laugh, licking his lips. "You sound like my mother- and my father's dead. Good luck trying to speak with him, unless you have an Ouija board."

I felt instantly horrible for asking to speak with his father. "I'm sorry."

"There's nothing to be sorry for- I inherited all this because the old man bit the forbidden fruit." He growled while his eyes darkened as he bared his white teeth. He was really starting to look like the big bad wolf. I hoped he wasn't planning on biting me. "Now, humor me, yes? Is Lily short for something?"

His sudden interest made me very suspicious, but I was just glad that our conversation had gotten back to an ordinary topic. It needed to stay on the road to normal from here on out or else I was going to make a detour for the door!

I shifted my standing position, trying to get more comfortable. I couldn't believe he hadn't offered me a seat. Well, actually I could. He was kind of the definition of an asshole, just as I was the definition of awkward.

"It's short for Lilith," I answered, drooping my head. "but don't call me that."

"Your name is Lilith?" He burst out laughing, shaking his head back and forth. His midnight hair was now disheveled once again. "Wow- fück. Are you a bad girl like your name suggests?"

"What?" I tightened my grip around my purse, ready to strangle a certain someone. So much for a normal conversation.

"Lilith means of the night." He stepped closer to me, but I couldn't step back to get away from him. I was already pressed up against the wall for support. I could see his dark facial hair come into view around his sharp jawline. His face looked so soft, despite the newly grown stubble. His hair shadowed the right side of his face. For some reason I really wanted to brush his hair back. I was starting to act like Regina George and he was Aaron Samuels. "All of the best things happen at night, hence what you saw earlier with my one night stand."

There was a brief moment of silence while his deep ocean eyes stayed locked on mine. "So, are you a good girl, Lily, or are you a bad girl?"

He continued taking steps forward, until he was right in front of me. His hands gripped the wall, enclosing me around him. I could smell the hint of aftershave coming off his smooth, cleansed skin. Okay, so maybe he did take a shower, but this room was still drowned in sex and sin. It was just that noticeable.

"Which one will help me get the job faster?" I was being totally sarcastic.

"I like a good girl who knows how to be bad." His muscles tensed around me, while his breathing slowed down to a halt. "Are you that girl, puttana? Do you want to be that girl?"

He was getting too close to the point where I could feel his warm breath radiating against my cheeks. I smelled Speriment gum with just a hint of cigarette smoke. I felt the roughness of his facial hair brush against my jaw as he whispered into my ear.

"Well, too fücking bad." His raspy laugh echoed through my ears. "You will never be that girl. I already have someone filling that position."

I could hear the double meaning to his words and it made me want to smack him across the face. I clenched my hands to my side, not wanting to get a lawsuit. He had the money to take me to court if I struck him.

"That's how you tell someone they didn't get the job?" I went to push him away from me, but he grabbed my wrist tightly. I thought he was going to snap it back, but he just held it for while. "You have a girlfriend too? After walking around like that? After spending the night with that blonde girl?"

"No, I don't have just one girlfriend. I have many." His eyes flickered with amusement when he noticed the judgement on my face. "I'm a busy man. They call us businessmen for a reason and I have some shit to attend to."

"You're disgusting." I shook my head, pursing my lips. "I swear to God, I'll track all of them down and let them know how much of a rodent you are."

"Wow! What an awesome insult! Who did you steal it from? Animal Control?" He dropped his arms down, but didn't bother moving away from me. His bare chest was still keeping me in my place. "You're not going to rat me out. Pun intended."

"What are you going to do if I do?" I creased my eyebrows while my heart beat sped up. This had taken a turn for the worst real quick. I was headed down Hell on Earth boulevard and he was driving.

"I'll kiss those pretty little lips of yours and then I'll cut your tongue out when I'm done." He gave me a wry smirk, sauntering back to his sleek desk. "Don't threaten me, baby, if you know what's good for you. I'm not someone you want to piss off."

"Well, it's kind of hard when you're the biggest asshole I've ever met." I straightened out my shirt and skirt before walking toward the exit. He got my clothes all wrinkled and that made me want to punch him in the throat. I spent an hour ironing them and I burned myself three times!

"Your lips would be hot, if they weren't always moving. You need to find your place and stay in it- if you want this job." His baritone voice stopped me dead in my tracks. I had just crossed over the threshold to my freedom, but his blue eyes were calling me back. Yeah, I had no will power whatsoever. "Look, gattina, my mouth isn't an Instagram picture. There's isn't a filter on it. I say and do whatever the fück I want. If you don't like it, you can go back to working part time at Ronald Mc-fücking-Donald's. It would be a shame, though, for you to pass up sixty-nine dollars an hour."

I never told him that I used to work at McDonald's.

"Why sixty-nine dollars an hour?" My feet had already turned around and I knew there was no turning back. Maybe it was the money or maybe there was something else affecting my decision.

"Some people say I act like the devil." His lips curled into a wry smile. "So, I like to make sure that I'm paying you well enough for dealing with my crazy ass. Plus, it's my favorite sex position."

He slid into a black, leather chair, crossing his arms in front of me. He motioned toward an empty seat and said, "Would you like to sign your contract now or later?"

Deciding on whether or not to step back into his office was one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make in my life. I wanted to smash his head with the expensive looking vase that was behind him, but making that much money was so tempting.

I knew he could supply it too. Salem's Court was a booming school with thousands of enrolled students. He was banking.

God, you're about to make a deal with the devil, Lily!

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That's the end of the sample! You can buy the full version on Amazon in both paperback and e-book versions. Thank you for reading!